Category Archives: HS2 and the Heathrow Local Opportunity Area

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With the resignation of both Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, many in the media are now saying that UKIP has achieved its goal and it is no longer relevant on the political landscape.

Indeed, the aforementioned Mr Carswell has been gloating on his Twitter feed about a council byelection in his area where the Tories have taken a seat from UKIP , claiming that many Kippers think ‘job done’.

So, what is the reality? With the triggering of Article 50 and the initial founding reason for UKIP (Leaving the EU) looking like a reality, what have UKIP got left to offer?

The following article is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official view of the party

It is often said that a week is a long time in politics – with the events of the last seven days it has certainly seemed that way!

Following on from the surprise resignation of leader Diane James MEP after just 18 days in the role, we have now seen media headlines surrounding an altercation between two of our MEP’s in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

The Party is currently investigating what actually happened and as such it would be wrong for me to speculate before that investigation is concluded. I feel sure that we all wish Steven Woolfe MEP, a personal friend and a thoroughly decent man, a speedy recovery.

If Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin thinks that the General Election result was an endorsement of HS2, then why have the Tories and their 2 MP’s in Hillingdon consistently campaigned on a platform of opposition and not on a pro HS2 ticket? Once again, proof that a Conservative vote in Hillingdon has allowed their party at national level to ram through plans for a rail link that is unnecessary, costly and will destroy parts of our borough. The following story is from The Express & Star….

The following post is taken from the website of UKIP Hillingdon and announces my candidacy for the Hayes & Harlington seat at next year’s general election

Introducing your Parliamentary candidate for the 2015 General election

Cliff Dixon is the Chairman of UKIP Hillingdon branch and the ward representative for Charville

Cliff is a lifelong resident of the borough, born in Hillingdon, and has lived in both Hayes and Uxbridge.

Now in his mid-forties and married with two adult stepchildren, he joined the branch in 2011, being elected chairman the following year.

A communications professional with over 20 years experience, he is a familiar site in Hayes after stints running The Phone Shop in Hayes End Drive and Starline on the Uxbridge Road, as well as occasionally propping up the bar at The Wishing Well in Hayes End and indulging in some ear-splitting karaoke!

Sent to me by one of our UKIP Hillingdon members – Was this the speech that Boris gave after his successful nomination for the Uxbridge & South Ruislip Parliamentary seat?

What Ho! residents of Oxbridge (And that other place tacked onto the side of it, what’s it called? You know – lots of bungalows). I may pop in from time to time but I can’t say when because this ‘being Mayor’ business can be a piddly bit time-consuming. So I’ll get along whenever – I know you’re at the far end of the blue line on the tube map.

I can’t tell you too much about my little caper at this stage, but I need to be sure of a nice safe Tory seat which will guarantee whizzing me into Westminster.

Now I know that some of you are unhappy about a brand new railway line we’re going to put right through the middle of your area and you can read all about my thoughts on the matter in the 13th September Daily Telegraph under the headline ‘HS2 opponents are Nimbys who only care about house prices’.

So please give us a wave as we rocket over your vans and trucks sitting on the M25. I’m told it’s always stationery on the western stretch – Don’t know, never have to use the blasted thing!

So – like I said – pop out at the next election and vote Conservative just like your parents did and taught you to do likewise.

And don’t be paying any attention to those UKIP Johnnies who may live in the borough and may care about it as well, but with the help of the press and the BBC, we’ll convince everybody that voting for them will get you Labour. That always works.

So run along, and at the next election – Just do what you’ve always done & don’t give it a second thought.

The following press release was put out yesterday by UKIP about the rumours surrounding Boris Johnson standing as MP for Uxbridge & South Ruislip

If Boris Johnson announces his attention to stand in Uxbridge, he’d better beware. That’s the message from UKIP upstart, the red-headed Jack Duffin (Above), who is licking his lips at the challenge. Viewing Boris as fundamentally out of touch with the ‘real people’ of the constituency, the Chairman of UKIP’s youth wing is ready to rise to the bait. He is relishing what he hopes will be the opportunity to expose the Tory Bigwig as ‘more suitable for the Bullingdon club than Parliament’

“I came to Hillingdon originally just to study at the University but have now settled into the area and feel an intrinsic connection to it, which is more than Boris can claim. Having just finished eight years working in hospitality this summer, I’ve had an upbringing that has prepared me well to represent the local hard-working people of the constituency. Compare this to the epitome of an out of touch Tory Toff, used to private members clubs, private education and a very colourful private life, and it’s soon clear that Boris should be sent back to the Bullingdon Club, rather than to Parliament.

“If I sit back and wait for the Labour and Tory Governments of the next 20 years to continue ruining this country there will be nothing left to fight for. My generation has little or no hope of ever getting on the housing ladder, employment opportunities have diminished and Boris has the audacity to blame young people for their lack of energy.

“Boris’ vision for the local area is one of unemployment and poverty. He has nothing in common with the local community and isn’t interested in anything other than his own career progression.

“If he gets elected he will be too busy in his role as London Mayor for the first year, which will mean his constituents, after voting him in, will be rewarded by being ignored. After that he will be swanning off to battle Cameron for the leadership. His eyes are on Downing Street not Uxbridge. The residents will be used in the short term for his own gain, only to be cast aside once they’ve served their purpose.

“He is actively trying to shut Heathrow, the biggest employer in the area. Replacing it with more housing and fewer jobs, meaning he can pursue his ego trip of building Boris Island. What an absolute idiot. UKIP is the only party that has promised not to build a third runway leading to mass disruption in the local area, but at the same time we know how important it is to keep the UK’s busiest airport open, which is the lynch pin of the local community in terms of direct and indirect employment.

“The whole borough is united in trying to stop the white elephant that is HS2, yet Boris has labelled everyone who is against it a NIMBY. I wonder whether he will be buying a house under the flight path to show solidarity with the patch?

“He is also the most pro-immigration of any leading figure in the Conservative Party, and has time again argued for an amnesty for illegal immigrants. Our borders are not safe under a Tory Government and certainly not under one led by Boris Johnson.

“The press have become obsessed with comparing Boris to Nigel, focusing on personalities rather than politics. But the difference is people voting UKIP know what they are voting for. People backing Nigel always know exactly what he stands for. Our policy pledges are clear, our message is simple and it’s winning people over. Boris plays with smoke and mirrors to cover up his personal ambition as much as possible but it’s so evident that his motivation is focused solely on what’s best for Boris and nothing else. At the end of the day he’s a typical PR savvy, image-conscious, out-of-touch soft Tory who cares more about self-preservation than anything else. He’s no different from all the other like-minded politicians in Westminster, but the public are sensing there’s something new on the market, and that’s the UKIP brand.

“I can’t help but be excited to take him on. He’s exactly the sort of phoney conman I want to keep out of the House of Commons, which is what drove me to want to get into politics in the first place.”

Reports in this week’s papers claim Boris Johnson is considering standing in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in May 2015, after John Randall announced he would be standing down at the next General Election. It would be an unusual decision for Boris to contest the constituency as he is someone who has nothing in common with local people, no links to the area and has insulted many of the population here in the past few years.

Boris is fully behind plans to close Heathrow putting hundreds of thousands of jobs directly and indirectly linked to Heathrow in danger (1)

It is based purely on his desire to have his ‘Boris Island’ vanity project driven through rather than delivering economic growth and listening to local concerns. We saw his plans fall apart under investigation this week, (2) costing four times his predicted outlay.

UKIP is the only major political party that supports a more efficient two runway Heathrow whilst rejecting either expansion or closure.

He is in favour of an amnesty for all illegal immigrants in the UK (3) despite local Conservative Council leader Ray Puddifoot already telling local residents that they are struggling to deliver the required amount of school places due to the current levels of immigration (4). With totally open borders to all citizens of the EU and a free pass for all illegal immigrants, the UK would completely lose control of its borders worldwide.

Only UKIP proposes and can deliver an Australian style points system for sensible levels of managed immigration.

Boris Johnson has labelled people who oppose HS2 as “Nimbys who only care about house prices”(5). Although John Randall voted for the HS2 paving bill, allowing public money to be allocated to its construction, Boris is a far bigger supporter of the project. Yet again only UKIP are supporting local residents across the country in opposing HS2 on a national level.

UKIP PPC for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Jack Duffin (left) says, “Boris has shown time and time again by his words and actions that he has nothing but contempt for the residents of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. A vote for Boris is a vote for destroying Heathrow, creating a further rise in unemployment, continued uncontrolled immigration and the building of HS2. Likewise, Labour have also offered no solutions to any of these problems. I hope I get to face Boris in what will become a two horse race between an out of touch career politician and UKIP’s Common Sense Policies for both our area and our country.”